NC0041530_Draft Permit_20200811

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ROY COOPER E. ` ;,.
Governor fie. r -,
MICHAEL S.REGAN *
Secretary -
S.DANIEL SMITH NORTH CAROLINA
Director Environmental Quality
August 11, 2020
David G. Tolson, Plant& System Manager
Ocracoke Sanitary District
PO Box 567
Ocracoke,NC 27960-0567
Subject: Draft NPDES Permit NC0041530
Ocracoke Reverse Osmosis WTP
Physical Chemical Not Classified WPCS
Hyde County
Dear Mr. Tolson:
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Please review this draft carefully to
ensure a thorough understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements it contains.
The draft permit includes the following significant changes from the existing permit:
1. The facility classification Physical Chemical Not Classified Water Pollution Control System
(WPCS)was added to the effluent page.
2. Acute WET Testing relaxed to monitoring only based on WTP permitting strategy.
3. Since the renewal application indicated the use of Zinc-orthophosphate or sweetwater CP1236,
quarterly Total Zinc monitoring was added.
Please note that [Receiving Stream] is listed as an impaired waterbody on the North Carolina 303(d)
Impaired Waters List. Addressing impaired waters is a high priority with the Division, and instream
data will continue to be evaluated. If there is noncompliance with permitted effluent limits and stream
impairment can be attributed to your facility,then mitigative measures may be required.
The NPDES standard conditions(Parts II, III, and IV)that are a part of the permit are not included in
this draft document(cover, map, and Part I). The conditions are the same as in your current permit
except that agency and division names have been updated. The latest version is available at
https://bit.ly/2BZ4xxx and can be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF file.
With this notification,the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a
notice in newspapers having circulation in the general Hyde County area, per EPA requirements. Please
provide your comments, if any, to me at the address below no later than 30 days after receiving this draft
permit. Following the 30-day public comment period, the Division will review all pertinent comments
and take appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit.
..DE North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
® 512 North Salisbury Street 11617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
NORTH CAROLINA
ow.e11.aaEnvironmental WY 919.707.9000

Mr.Tolson
August 11, 2020
Page 2 of 2
If you have questions concerning the draft, please contact me at 919-707-3618, or via e-mail at
[e-mail].
Sincerely,
Derek Denard,Environmental Specialist
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting
Division of Water Resources,NCDEQ
ec: NPDES File[Laserfiche]
David G.Tolson,Plant&Systems Manager,Ocracoke Sanitary District[[e-mail]]
WaRO/Robert Tankard[[e-mail]]
Wastewater Operator Certification Group([e-mail])
DMF/Shellfish Sanitation Shannon Jenkins[[e-mail]];Andrew Haines[[e-mail]]

NPDES Permit NC0041530
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARG ATION SYSTEM
(NPDES)
In compliance with the provisions of North Carol' eral Statute 1 5.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted b orth Carolina Env ental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water'Pollution Control Act,as ed,the
Ocracoke Sanita , - . rict
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
1111,4- 1..., 4
Ocracoke Reverse Osmosis Water Treatiinent Plant (WTP)
159 Water Plant Road, Ocracoke 27960
Nor Hyd County
to recei waters designat-:, Mary, 's Pond(Pamlico Sound) in the Tar-Pamlico River Basin,
in accordance with effluent li 'ons, ring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts
I, II, III and IV h 7 -of.
This permit shall be, - effectiv .
This permit and authoriz. charge shall expire at midnight on November 30,2024.
Signed this day .
S. Daniel Smith,Director
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 7

NPDES Permit NC0041530
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility,whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked.As of this permit issuance,any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer
effective.Therefore,the exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the
permit conditions,requirements,terms,and provisions included herein.
Ocracoke Sanitary District
is hereby authorized to:
1. continue to operate a wastewater treatment system utilizing reverse osm. 1'0)water treatment
plant technology,discharging a monthly-average maximum o .283 MG ewater flow,while
generating potable water(to 0.900 MGD),
from facilities located Ocracoke Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant(WTP), 159 Water
Plant Road,Ocraco nty,and
2. discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 001,at the location specified on the attached map
int. Mary Ann's Pond(Pamlico Sound) [2 =89J,a waterbody currently classified SA;HQW located
wi+3 ubbasin 03-0HUC: 0302010502f the Tar-Pamlico River Basin.
Page 2 of 7

NPDES Permit NC0041530
PART I •
A. (1.) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Physical Chemical Not Classified Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration,the
Permittee is authorized to discharge RO reject water from outfall 001. Such discharges shall be limited,
monitored and reportedl by the Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT LIMITS MONITORING REQUIREMENTS1
CHARACTERISTIC Monthly Daily Measurement Sample Sample
[PARAMETER CODES] Average Maximum Frequency Type Location
Flow(MGD) 50050 Monitor&Report Continus Recording Effluent
Not<6.8or>8.5
pH(su) 00400 2/Month Grab Effluent
stands units,
Turbidity(NTU) 00070 Monitor&'R ort 2/Month Grab Effluent
i Dissolved Oxygen(mg/L)(DO) 003 Monitor&Reporte Monthly Grab Effluent
Salinity(ppth) 00480 Mon for&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Conductivity(µmhos/cm) 00094 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Dissolved Solids i295 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
(TDS)(mg/L)
Ammonia Nitrogen(mg/L) r10 Monitor&Report jOuarterly Grab Effluent
TKN 2 (mg/L) 00625 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
NO3-N+NO-, 2 lit L) 00630 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
TN 2 ) C0600 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Phosphorus(mg/L) C0665 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Copper(µg/L)3 01042 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Total Zinc(µg/L)3 01092 Monitor&Report Quarterly Grab Effluent
Acute WET Testing 4 TGE3E See Footnote 5 Quarterly Grab Effluent
Footnotes:
1. The Permittee shall submit Discharge Monitoring Reports electronically using NC DWR's eDMR
application system.See Condilitm A.(3.).
2. For a given wastewater sample,TN=TKN+NO3-N+NO2-N,where TN is Total Nitrogen,TKN is Total
Kjeldahl Nitrogen,and NO3-N and NO2-N are Nitrate and Nitrite Nitrogen,respectively.
3. All practical quantitation limits(PQL)must be sufficiently sensitive considering the respective water quality
standard for each parameter[see Part II. Section D.(4.)].(For Total Copper a PQL of 2 µg/1 or better is
recommended.)
4. 'Acute Whole Effluent Toxicity(WET)testing-testing of Mysidopsis bahia(Mysid shrimp)shall be
performed as 24-day pass/fail test,monitoring only,at 90%effluent concentration,during February,May,
August and November[See A.(2.)].
Conditions:
• Samples shall be taken at the outfall but prior to mixing with the receiving waters.
• There shall be no discharge of floating solids or foam visible in other than trace amounts.
Page 3 of 7

NPDES Permit NC004 1530
A. (2.) ACUTE TOXICITY PASS/FAIL MONITORING (QUARTERLY)
[15A NCAC 02B .0500 et seq.]
The permittee shall conduct acute toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in the North
Carolina Procedure Document entitled"Pass/Fail Methodology For Determining Acute Toxicity In A
Single Effluent Concentration"(Revised-December 2010, or subsequent versions).The monitoring shall
be performed as a Mysid Shrimp(Mysidopsis bahia)24-hour static test.The effluent concentration at
which there may be at no time significant acute mortality is 90% (defined as treatment two in the
procedure document).The tests will be performed during the months of February,May,August and
November.These months signify the first month of each three-month toxicity testing quarter assigned to
the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained during representative effluent discharge
and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent discharge below all treatment processes.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition wi entered electronically using the
Division's eDMR system for the month in which it was performed, usi parameter code TGE3E.
Additionally, DWR Form AT-2(original) is to be sent to the following a.
North Carolina Division of Wa 'esources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic oxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Cuter
Raleigh,NC 27699-1621
Or,results can be sent to the email,ATFor s.ATBc2 incdenr.gov.
Completed Aquatic To ci Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than 30
days after the end of sorting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be compl curate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all
concentration/r- .onse da • • be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved designate
signature.
Total sal chlorine o i"e efflue icity same must be measured and reported if chlorine is
employe• disinfection of the waste am.
Should there le no discharge of flow fromhe facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is
required,the permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity(AT)test
form indicating the facility name,Ppermit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report
with the notation of"No Flow"ii'the comment area of the form.The report shall be submitted to the
Water Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required,then
monthly monitoring will begin immediately. Upon"submission of a valid test,this monthly test
requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above.
Should any test data from either these monitoring requirements or tests performed by the North Carolina
Division of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream,this permit may be re-
opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum control
organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid test and will
require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than the last day of the month following the month
of the initial monitoring.
Page 4 of 7

NPDES Permit NC0041530
A. (3.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF MONITORING REPORTS
[G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports(DMRs)and program
reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December 21,2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this permit
(Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B.(11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D.(2.) Reporting
• Section D.(6.) Records Retention
• Section E.(5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D.(2.)and Section E.(5 (a)l
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the R's Electronic
Discharge Monitoring Report(eDMR)interne application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s)shall be summarized for eac th and
submitted electronically using eDMR.The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to e er monitoring
data and submit DMRs electronically usin the:.,' ernet.The eDMR system may be accessed at:
https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water mr.
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR sy due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the facility being
physically located in an area where less than percent of the households have broadband access,then a
temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted and discharge
monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms(MR 1, 1.1,2,3)or alternative forms approved by
the Director.Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to the following address:
NC DEQ/Division of Water Resources/Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617
See"How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting"section below.
Regardless of the submission method,the first DMR is due on the last day of the month following the
issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility,on the last day of the month following the
commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21,2020,the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports,when applicable:
• Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
• Pretreatment Program Annual Reports;and
• Clean Water Act(CWA) Section 316(b)Annual Reports.
>NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule—Phase 2 Extension. EPA is proposing to extend the
Phase 2 deadline from December 21,2020 until at least December 21,2023.The current
compliance date will be extended if the implementation date is extended as a final regulation
change in the federal register.
Page5of7

NPDES Permit NC0041530
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division(see"How to Request a Waiver
from Electronic Reporting"section below).
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9),the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time of each
electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify the initial recipient
for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the entity(EPA or
the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program)that is the designated entity for receiving
electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for each type
of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the appropriate electronic
reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule is found
at:https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/25/10/22/2015-24954/national-pol lutant-discharge-
el imination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the"Reporting Requirements"section above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an electronic
reporting waiver,a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to the Division.
Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to the Division for written
approval at least sixty(60)days prior to the date the facility would be required under this permit to begin
submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a temporary waiver shall not exceed 5 years and
shall thereupon expire.At such time,monitoring data and reports shall be submitted electronically to the
Division unless the permittee re-applies for and is granted a new temporary electronic reporting waiver by
the Division.Approved electronic reporting waivers are not transferrable.Only permittees with an approved
reporting waiver request may submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that
the approved reporting waiver request is effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on the
following web page: http:/tdeg.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
4. Sianatory Requirements (Supplements Section B.(11.)(b)and Supersedes Section B.(11.)(d)1
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II,
Section B.(11.)(a)or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II, Section B.
(11.)(b).A person,and not a position,must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR reporting purposes.
For eDMR submissions,the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user account
and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North Carolina's eDMR system,
registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account,please visit the following web page:
http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification.Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall make the
following certification [40 CFR 122.22].NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION WILL BE
ACCEPTED:
"I certibi, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or
supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and
Page 6 of 7

NPDES Permit NC004 1530
evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system,
or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best
of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete.I am aware that there are significant penalties for
submitting false information, including the possibility of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations."
5. Records Retention [Supplements Section D.(6.)1
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports,including eDMR submissions.These
records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the date of the report.This period
may be extended by request of the Director at any time[40 CFR 12
A. (4.) PERMIT RE-OPENER: WHOLE EFFLUENT TOXICITY
[G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
100
Whole Effluent Toxicity monitoring results i indicating aquatic toxicity may result in the Division of Water
Resources re-opening this permit,or requesting by letter that further action be taken.Additional metals testing,a
toxicity identification evaluation,a toxicity reduction evaluation, and/or an assessment of discharge treatment
alternatives may be requested,.d
A. (5. RMIT RE-OPENER UTRIENT REDUCTION REQUIREMENT
• 143-215.1(b)]
Discharges to the Pamlico Rive ,are subject • the requirements,terms and conditions of the Tar-Pamlico
Nutrient Sensitives -rs(NSW)Iplementation Strategy:Phase III adopted April 14,2005.Non-members of
the Tar-Pamlico Asso iation will maintain or receive permit effluent limits for Total Nitrogen and for Total
Phosphorus concentrations as defined in the Strategy.Any revisions to the Strategy during the life of this permit
are applicable.
If requirements other than those fisted in this permit are adopted as part of a revision to the Strategy,the
Division reserves the right to reopen this permit and include those requirements.
If requirements other than those listed in this permit are adopted to prevent localized adverse impacts to water
quality,the Division reserves the right to reopen this permit and include those requirements.
Page 7 of 7

Outfall 001 •
[tlows northwest into -
Mary Ann's Pond]
G A. -
4, _.• ; .- .: .--. • Northern .• j' ►,.
Dil . . ... 1',..:' -. .
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• :* Water Plant Rd N'''�. �'� t
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Ocracoke Sanitary District RO WTP N �+ *��,�■■� :��
NPDES Permit NC0041530A � .�.j��►, ►
159 Water Plant Road,Ocracoke 27960 Mil��'��''' '
Receiving Stream:Mary Ann's Pond(Pamlico Sound)
Stream Segment:29-89 Stream Class: SA;HQW 35.12°N, -75.985°W
River Basin:Tar-Pamlico Sub-Basin#:03-03-08 SCALE NC Grid:G35SW
County:Hyde HUC:030201050207 1:10,000 USGS Quad:Ocracoke,NC